


A Taste for Fereldan Beer

by anoncanon



Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-02
Updated: 2015-01-02
Packaged: 2018-03-04 23:43:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,373
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3096923
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anoncanon/pseuds/anoncanon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Oh, Dorian, the <i>shame</i>...</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Taste for Fereldan Beer

If there ever was a constant in Skyhold, it might be that whenever the weather turned cold and windy, the tavern became warm and noisy. On a night where rain was also present, it would get so packed that there probably wasn’t anyone left elsewhere on the grounds.

Tonight was one of those nights and Dorian was rather thankful he had sought shelter and drink there before everyone else had had the same idea. He had settled at a tiny table in a dark corner and had glared at anyone who would look in his direction with a hopeful expression, therefore successfully keeping his spot to himself. He had his reasons for being in a bad mood. The weather had been the first, the bad news he’d had about Felix’s disease flaring up had been the worst, and now, the piss that was in his tankard was the last and final blow.

He scowled at the mug, took a mouthful and grimaced. Well, at least it had alcohol in it.

From his vantage point, he could see most of their group. The _companions_ , he had heard the staff call the select few who would travel with the Inquisitor and assist him on missions. Sera, Blackwall and Iron Bull were discussing in details something that was probably very crude, judging by their gestures and guffaws. Solas had sought Cole when he came in earlier and they were now discussing, not too far from the other three. Varric and Cassandra were seated at the bar, probably arguing. It didn’t seem too pleasant from where Dorian was sitting, but then again he had had a few mugs of ale and they were sitting with their backs to him. Perhaps he was reading too much into it…

His attention returned to the trio, as Blackwall and Iron Bull apparently opted for a game of Wicked Grace. They took out the cards and set the game up. Varric left Cassandra at the bar to join the card players. There was a sudden roar of laughter, originating mostly from their table.

Dorian winced at the noise. Maybe now would be a good time for him to leave, before he involuntarily set fire to something. Or someone. Leaving would require him to stop drinking and venture outside though, and he wasn’t drunk enough to risk that yet.

The main door opened and there was yet another outburst of voices. Amidst all the hubbub, a name could be heard multiple times. Making his way through the crowd toward the bar, there was their Inquisitor. The bartender handed him a tankard and the man took a good, long swig.

Dorian watched as the Inquisitor thanked the bartender and then sat right next to Cassandra. He saw them chat for a while, Cassandra’s mood visibly improving as they discussed. After a bit, the racket from the Wicked Grace game caught their attention and they both got up to check what the fuss was about. As far as Dorian could tell, Blackwall had just won, against the odds and the popular opinion. Iron Bull was shouting for a rematch. More money was dumped on the table. Other patrons had been intrigued by the noise and many of them had left their seats to go watch the game.

The Inquisitor spotted Cole and Solas and left the game table for a moment to exchange a few words with them. He casually made his way back to the others, saluting people along the way. There was a crowd around the table now and the Inquisitor chose to stay a bit behind, his gaze scanning the room.

Dorian watched, not sure whether he wanted the Inquisitor to spot him or not. Soon enough though, their eyes locked and the Inquisitor’s face lit up. The Tevinter realized he wouldn’t be able to glare this one away. His eyes followed the other man as he walked to him, picking up an empty chair along the way. The Inquisitor put the chair down, facing Dorian.

“Can I sit here?” he asked with a smile.

“Do whatever pleases you; this isn’t _my_ tavern after all,” Dorian replied, registering after he had said them that his tone and those words were all wrong.

The Inquisitor’s smile froze.

“I apologize,” Dorian added quickly, “That was rather uncalled for. I would be thankful for your company.”

“Particularly miserable day?,” the man inquired as he sat down, placing his tankard on the table.

“Somewhat, yes. Which makes me wonder how you manage to always be in such high spirits? I can’t bring to mind a single moment where I’ve seen you in a foul mood,” Dorian asked.

The Inquisitor shrugged. “I don’t think it’s a conscious thing. I just… There’s always something good. Take today: arguing in the war room for hours and long dinners with dignitaries are not my favorite ways to pass the time, but I was really looking forward to this,” he said as he motioned to his mug of ale.

“A great mug of palate-offending Fereldan beer..?” Dorian said, as he raised an eyebrow.

The other man chuckled, “No, it’s not that... The drink itself doesn’t really matter. I don’t come from a place where alcohol is appreciated as much for its taste as for what comes with it,” he gestured vaguely toward the crowd behind him, “The laughs, the mood, the music, the good times with friends and family…”

He stared at Dorian with a small smile. “I’m always looking forward to being here and getting a chance to talk with my friends. It reminds me of why I bother.”

Dorian didn’t quite know what to answer to that. It had been different growing up with his particular family and a very limited roster of real friends, but he could remember a few genuinely choice moments spent in brilliant company, drinking excellent wine.

The Inquisitor spoke again, “Why are you hidden away in the shadowy corner? That can’t help if you’re already in a bad mood… Maybe you should mingle? Unless,” he paused, unfolding one of his leg under the tiny table and brushing it against Dorian’s, “you chose this corner for entirely different reasons?”

This was a game Dorian recognized. He also happened to be _very_ good at it. “Wouldn’t you like to know?” he said with a smug smile, his voice husky.

There was a single way to interpret the glint in the Inquisitor’s eyes. Dorian wondered if anyone else knew how much of a flirt their Inquisitor could be. He caught himself hoping he was the only one. He wanted to go on, to push and see how far it could go, but movement in the crowd behind the Inquisitor caught his eyes.

“I… think someone is looking for you,” Dorian said. It was not what he had wanted to say, but the courier searching the room felt like a harbinger of bad news. Or, in this case, an absolute cockblock.

The Inquisitor turned around to look for himself and cursed under his breath. He turned back toward Dorian, “They always send the same courier. It’s like they want me to know as soon as I lay eyes on him that I’m needed somewhere else…” He sighed.

The man got up, a sorry smile on his face. He reached for Dorian’s tankard, their fingers touching briefly as he took the mug. He drank what was left in it, putting the empty container back on the table with a thump.

“Here, you can have mine,” the Inquisitor said with a grin as he nudged his mug in Dorian’s direction. He walked to the courier, who seemed relieved to finally set eyes on the Inquisitor.

Dorian watched them leave, feeling thwarted and just a little bit forlorn. He looked down at the Inquisitor’s mug, now his, and took a sip. It was the same liquid that had been in his mug earlier, but he could swear this one tasted better. He took another mouthful and was again struck by the feeling that it was less gross than before. He shrugged inwardly and spent the rest of the evening nursing his tankard, lost in his thoughts; the memory of the Inquisitor’s leg against his still too fresh to be dismissed.

**Author's Note:**

> This was too fun a snippet of information to pass and I had to figure out a way Dorian starts developping his fondness for Fereldan beer :3
> 
> Thank you for reading <3


End file.
